In trading on Friday, shares of Verizon Communications Inc (Symbol: VZ) crossed above their 200 day moving average of $42.06, changing hands as high as $42.98 per share. Verizon Communications Inc shares are currently trading up about 7.4% on the day. The chart below shows the one year performance of VZ shares, versus its 200 day moving average: Looking at the chart above, VZ's low point in its 52...
In trading on Friday, shares of Verizon Communications Inc (Symbol: VZ) crossed above their 200 day moving average of $42.06, changing hands as high as $42.98 per share. Verizon Communications Inc shares are currently trading up about 7.4% on the day. The chart below shows the one year performance of VZ shares, versus its 200 day moving average: Looking at the chart above, VZ's low point in its 52 week range is $38.39 per share, with $47.355 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $43.28. The VZ DMA information above was sourced from TechnicalAnalysisChannel.com Click here to find out which 9 other dividend stocks recently crossed above their 200 day moving average » Also see: The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
Multiple analysts have weighed in on Tesla Inc.'s (NASDAQ:TSLA) fourth-quarter earnings call, sharing their insights on various factors related to the Elon Musk-led automaker. Gary Black Paints Mixed Picture In a post on the social media platform X on Wednesday, Gary Black of The Future Fund LLC shared his insights on the earnings. The investor outlined that he expects Tesla shares to "rise by 2-3...
Multiple analysts have weighed in on Tesla Inc.'s (NASDAQ:TSLA) fourth-quarter earnings call, sharing their insights on various factors related to the Elon Musk-led automaker. Gary Black Paints Mixed Picture In a post on the social media platform X on Wednesday, Gary Black of The Future Fund LLC shared his insights on the earnings. The investor outlined that he expects Tesla shares to "rise by 2-3%" once the markets open following the earnings call. "$20B CapExp (and related margin pressures) is clearly a negative, as is discontinuation of TSLA's profitable S/X models," the investor said. However, he also outlined that "favorable comments" from the Tesla management about the Robotaxi efforts, as well as factors like the Optimus timelines and "strong 4Q EV auto gross margins," remain positive factors. All things considered, I expect $TSLA to rise by 2-3% tomorrow after analysts digest the positives and negatives and update their earnings models. $20B CapExp (and related margin pressures) is clearly a negative, as is discontinuation of TSLA's profitable S/X models, but… Don't Miss: Missed Nvidia and Tesla? RAD Intel Could Be the Next AI Powerhouse — Just $0.85 a Share Explore Jeff Bezos-backed Arrived Homes and see how investors are earning passive rental income — now with a limited-time 1% bonus match for new investors. Ross Gerber Says Its The End Of An Era Meanwhile, Ross Gerber, co-founder of Gerber Kawasaki, also shared his views on the earnings, calling it the "end of an era" for Tesla as the company announced a shift towards autonomous vehicles. It's the end of an era for tesla. $tsla He also shared that Tesla's transition from manufacturing electric vehicles to a "transportation as a service," as well as the humanoid robots revenue model, would require "some time and a ton of money." Energy storage is a great business along with charging. The transition from vehicle sales to this new transportation as a service and robots model will take some time and a ton of...
pabradyphoto/iStock via Getty Images By James Knightley, Chief International Economist, US Kevin Warsh set to be named new Fed chair, but will Powell stay on? The battle between a president who believes the Federal Reserve should be cutting interest rates and an incumbent chair focused on protecting the central bank’s credibility to fulfil its Congressional statutory mandate – maximum employment a...
pabradyphoto/iStock via Getty Images By James Knightley, Chief International Economist, US Kevin Warsh set to be named new Fed chair, but will Powell stay on? The battle between a president who believes the Federal Reserve should be cutting interest rates and an incumbent chair focused on protecting the central bank’s credibility to fulfil its Congressional statutory mandate – maximum employment and price stability – has been a gripping watch. Notionally, it should conclude on 15 May when Jerome Powell’s term as chair ends. However, barring a seismic economic shock, the president’s demands that the new chair cut interest rates “at least two to three points” to juice growth will not be met, risking a re-escalation in tensions down the line. For the past few months, it has been widely assumed that Trump’s pick for chair would be one of Director of the National Economic Council Kevin Hassett, former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh, current Fed Governor Chris Waller and Rick Rieder, BlackRock’s Chief Investment Officer for Global Fixed Income. Headlines at the time of writing suggest Warsh is the favoured candidate, with a formal announcement imminent, despite the perception he was something of an inflation hawk during his previous time at the Fed. The belief had been that arch-dove Stephen Miran’s temporary governorship, which ends on 31 January, would be used to facilitate entry onto the Board of Governors of an external appointee and with Powell expected to step down as a governor after relinquishing his chair position, another dove could be inserted into the committee. Then, with the Administration assuming it could force out and replace Governor Lisa Cook on “gross negligence” charges over alleged historical mortgage fraud, the president’s desire for lower borrowing costs could be steamrolled through. Who will be the next Fed chair? Probability in PredictIt prediction markets The Fed fights back That is looking less likely by the day, with the Supreme Court arguments on t...
Welcome to Bay Street Edition, our weekly newsletter devoted to what’s happening in Canadian finance, covering strategy, deals, people moves and economics. I’m Christine Dobby , Bloomberg’s Toronto-based banking reporter, and you’ll find me in your inbox every Friday. This week, we’re talking about Trump’s tariff threats and the fallout from Carney’s Davos address, Y Combinator’s quiet blow to Can...
Welcome to Bay Street Edition, our weekly newsletter devoted to what’s happening in Canadian finance, covering strategy, deals, people moves and economics. I’m Christine Dobby , Bloomberg’s Toronto-based banking reporter, and you’ll find me in your inbox every Friday. This week, we’re talking about Trump’s tariff threats and the fallout from Carney’s Davos address, Y Combinator’s quiet blow to Canada’s tech ecosystem and some new technology hires at Scotiabank. Plus: Has the male birth control moment finally arrived? Please share this newsletter with your friends and colleagues, and if it was forwarded to you, sign up here to receive it every week. Threat Detected Everyone knows Trump Always Chickens Out. (It’s the less tasty “taco” we’ve been talking about since May, when a reporter was predictably berated after asking the US president about the acronym cooked up by a Financial Times columnist.) Except when he doesn’t. According to a Bloomberg Economics analysis this week by Nicole Gorton-Caratelli and Chris Kennedy, Trump has followed through on more than 20% of the 49 tariff threats he’s made between the 2024 election and Jan. 25, 2026. There have been a few more since then. Several of those have hit Canada hard, including multiple levies and tariff increases on steel and aluminum, plus exports to the US that don’t comply with the North American free-trade pact. The fact that he follows through at least some of the time makes it hard to look past his most outlandish social media posts — see last weekend’s threat of 100% tariffs against Canada’s exports to the US if it makes a trade deal with China, and Thursday’s pledge to “decertify” all Canadian aircraft if certain Gulfstream jets aren’t approved soon by Transport Canada. “If Trump always chickened out, then we could ignore them,” says Patricia Goff, a professor of political science at Wilfrid Laurier University who specializes in international trade governance. “The fact that he doesn’t means these threats are...
Novak Djokovic will meet Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open final for the chance of winning a 25th Grand Slam title after winning a five-set epic against defending champion Jannik Sinner.
Novak Djokovic will meet Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open final for the chance of winning a 25th Grand Slam title after winning a five-set epic against defending champion Jannik Sinner.
iQoncept/iStock via Getty Images Industrial Sector On The Rebound in 2026 Industrial stocks have outperformed in 2026 as the sector’s earnings outlook improves. The performance comes as global economic growth has offset trade policy headwinds, supported by resilient demand, easing interest rates, and technology investments. In the U.S., gross domestic product increased at an annual rate of 4.4% in...
iQoncept/iStock via Getty Images Industrial Sector On The Rebound in 2026 Industrial stocks have outperformed in 2026 as the sector’s earnings outlook improves. The performance comes as global economic growth has offset trade policy headwinds, supported by resilient demand, easing interest rates, and technology investments. In the U.S., gross domestic product increased at an annual rate of 4.4% in Q3 2025, reflecting broad momentum, with solid contributions from durable goods manufacturing. According to the S&P Global PMI, U.S. output increased for 36 consecutive months, with manufacturing hitting a 5-month high in January, despite sticky inflation. BEA Meanwhile, Fed regional surveys showed manufacturing activity rebounding into expansion territory, as capital goods orders rose, signaling solid business investment. As the economy continues to expand at a solid pace, industrial sector profit expectations are rising. Industrial earnings are projected to jump by 15.6% in 2026, making it the third-fastest-growing sector, a substantial improvement over last year’s +8.2%. FactSet Going well beyond factories and smokestacks, the industrial sector spans a variety of industries – such as aerospace, machinery, airlines, and engineering services. The sector offers investors exposure to powerful tailwinds and megatrends, including rising defense, data center , and travel demand. But some of the hottest stocks in the sector this year have weak investment fundamentals, and only a small percentage are Strong Buys, according to Seeking Alpha Quant Ratings. How I Found Top Industrial Stocks Using the Seeking Alpha stock screener , I filtered for industrial stocks with Strong Buy Quant Ratings and solid forward earnings growth estimates. Seeking Alpha Quant Ratings are generated by a proprietary model that analyzes over 100 metrics for each stock against sector peers, and grades them across five factors: Growth, Value, Profitability, Earnings Revisions, and Momentum. 1. LATAM Airlin...
USA Rare Earth won't go bankrupt. That alone is pretty good news. What goes up must come down. Apparently, it must also go back up again. USA Rare Earth (USAR +3.49%) stock soared 8% Monday after the Commerce Department loaned the company $1.3 billion, and paid $277 million for an equity stake. The stock then U-turned on worries the government wouldn't subsidize USA Rare Earth with price guarantee...
USA Rare Earth won't go bankrupt. That alone is pretty good news. What goes up must come down. Apparently, it must also go back up again. USA Rare Earth (USAR +3.49%) stock soared 8% Monday after the Commerce Department loaned the company $1.3 billion, and paid $277 million for an equity stake. The stock then U-turned on worries the government wouldn't subsidize USA Rare Earth with price guarantees. By close of trading yesterday, the stock had lost all its gains from the government loan and investment. And today? Well, USA Rare Earth stock is bouncing right back. Shares of the miner of rare-earth metals are up 5.8% through 10:30 a.m. ET after Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Derek Soderberg raised his price target to $35 after the sell-off. Why Cantor likes USA Rare Earth stock Counting existing cash, new cash from the government's investment, the loan, and also a $1.5 billion private investment in public equity (PIPE) investment, Cantor Fitzgerald calculates USA Rare Earth now has $3.5 billion in cash "to support accelerated mining, expanded metal-making capacity, and magnet production ramp-up," as TheFly.com reports. This reduces the risk of USA Rare Earth running out of cash before it becomes profitable. Now, says Soderberg, "attention shifts to execution of magnet production, which management believes could drive $1.2B of EBITDA by 2030 if milestones are met." Expand NASDAQ : USAR USA Rare Earth Today's Change ( 3.49 %) $ 0.77 Current Price $ 22.84 Key Data Points Market Cap $3.3B Day's Range $ 22.59 - $ 24.72 52wk Range $ 5.56 - $ 43.98 Volume 307K Avg Vol 15M What this means for USA Rare Earth stock To be clear, Soderberg thinks this is a good thing -- profits being still four years away. He may be right about that. Most analysts agree $285 million in cash burn should get USA Rare Earth to profitability. They could be off by a factor of 10 and the company would still have enough cash to reach profitability by 2030. USA Rare Earth might not be a buy, but at least it w...
The Islamic State extremist group on Friday claimed responsibility for an attack in Niger on an air force base in the capital that wounded four soldiers and damaged an aircraft. The claim of responsibility was contained in a statement on Amaq News Agency, the group’s propaganda wing, that said it was “a surprise and coordinated attack” that inflicted heavy losses. State television reported that Ni...
The Islamic State extremist group on Friday claimed responsibility for an attack in Niger on an air force base in the capital that wounded four soldiers and damaged an aircraft. The claim of responsibility was contained in a statement on Amaq News Agency, the group’s propaganda wing, that said it was “a surprise and coordinated attack” that inflicted heavy losses. State television reported that Niger’s forces responded quickly to the assault early on Thursday, killing 20 of the attackers and arresting 11 others. Advertisement Niger has struggled to contain deadly jihadi violence that has battered parts of Africa’s Sahel region, where neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali also are run by military juntas. In 2025, al-Qaeda and Islamic State group-backed militants escalated their campaigns in the Sahel, further threatening the stability of the fragile region and of Niger, which was the key security ally of the West in the region until a 2023 military coup. Advertisement Videos that appear to be from the scene of the attack captured loud blasts and the sky glowing following explosions that began around midnight and lasted about two hours in the area of Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey, the capital of the West African country.
Software stocks have tumbled in recent months as investors grow increasingly worried that AI could upend traditional software business models. Companies in the sector within the S&P 500 (^GSPC) are down roughly 18% over the last six months, while the index itself is up 9% over that time frame. The biggest losers of the group include SAP (SAP), which is down 30%, as well as Salesforce (CRM) and Ser...
Software stocks have tumbled in recent months as investors grow increasingly worried that AI could upend traditional software business models. Companies in the sector within the S&P 500 (^GSPC) are down roughly 18% over the last six months, while the index itself is up 9% over that time frame. The biggest losers of the group include SAP (SAP), which is down 30%, as well as Salesforce (CRM) and ServiceNow (NOW), which have shed about 20% and 40%, respectively. "Software sentiment has rarely been lower, with AI casting a shadow of uncertainty for the sector," Jefferies analyst Charles Brennan wrote in a note to investors earlier in January. Read more about software stock moves and today's market action. That shadow of uncertainty has two prongs. For one, investors worry that software-as-a-service (SaaS) firms’ customers could develop in-house software solutions using AI tools from large language model providers like Anthropic's Claude Code, reducing their reliance on providers like Salesforce. The recent release of Anthropic's new autonomous digital assistant Claude Cowork has only accelerated that fear. Second, there is concern that AI is lowering barriers for entirely new enterprise software startups — including companies like Aurasell and Artisan AI — whose AI-native platforms could directly challenge the competitive advantages of established firms. Older software players have raced to introduce agentic artificial intelligence offerings as they look to create AI tools that can not only generate answers but also take actions in the hopes of defending their core platforms from upstart rivals. But the platforms — such as Microsoft’s Copilot, Salesforce’s Agentforce, Snowflake Intelligence — are still getting off the ground. “The SaaS companies are wholeheartedly embracing agentic AI and putting a lot of investment dollars into this, but adoption is going really slowly,” explained Macquarie analyst Steve Koenig. “ You've got this disconnect between what the enterprise ...
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images News Who is Warsh? Kevin Warsh, 55, comes from the financial services industry (Wall Street) and public service. When he was appointed to the Federal Reserve Board at age 34 in 2006, he became the youngest member of the Fed Board. Prior to this appointment, he served as an Economic Adviser to President George W. Bush. To provide some historical context, it is worth notin...
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images News Who is Warsh? Kevin Warsh, 55, comes from the financial services industry (Wall Street) and public service. When he was appointed to the Federal Reserve Board at age 34 in 2006, he became the youngest member of the Fed Board. Prior to this appointment, he served as an Economic Adviser to President George W. Bush. To provide some historical context, it is worth noting that throughout his career, Warsh has consistently portrayed himself as an "anti-inflation hawk", according to Bloomberg economist Anna Wong . Anna Wong, Bloomberg Warsh resigned from the Federal Reserve in 2011 in response to the second round of quantitative easing (QE2, which increased the Fed's balance sheet size). Since then, he has frequently criticized the "expansionary" Federal Reserve (the Fed's current policy approach), stating that the Fed's balance sheet must be dramatically decreased. Agar Capital, Bloomberg Terminal In contrast to his previous views, Warsh has recently aligned himself with Trump and called for a decrease in interest rates. As you will recall, Warsh was not appointed to the Federal Reserve board in 2017, and Trump has referred to him as "one of my loyalists" regarding his views on monetary policy. While Powell has been subject to criticism by Trump for not lowering interest rates enough, Warsh promises to break the mold. Warsh has attacked the Fed under Powell for exceeding their legal mandate and losing credibility. He states that inflation cannot result solely from strong economic growth or high wages but rather from excessive fiscal and monetary stimuli. Furthermore, he has advocated for a significant reduction in the Fed's balance sheet (which he believes encourages inflation at this moment). Warsh employs the unconventional " cut-and-reduce " approach to policymaking as opposed to the conventional " wait-and-see " approach employed by Powell. Warsh asserts that there must be a reduction in the size of the balance sheet and a non-intervent...
AMD's Zen 6 CCD is going to be similar in size to the last-gen Zen offerings but features 50% more cores on the TSMC N2 process node. AMD 2nm Zen 6 CCD Packs More Core Density: 50% More Cores Thanks To TSMC's N2 Process Technology AMD's next-generation Zen 6 CPUs will be introduced this year. While we have a slight glimpse of what these chips are going to offer, it looks like we finally have some ...
AMD's Zen 6 CCD is going to be similar in size to the last-gen Zen offerings but features 50% more cores on the TSMC N2 process node. AMD 2nm Zen 6 CCD Packs More Core Density: 50% More Cores Thanks To TSMC's N2 Process Technology AMD's next-generation Zen 6 CPUs will be introduced this year. While we have a slight glimpse of what these chips are going to offer, it looks like we finally have some information on the CCD, which is going to be produced on the TSMC N2 (2nm) process node technology. Zen2 CCD: 2*4 Core 2*16 MB L3 TSMC N7 ~77 mm2 Zen3 CCD: 8 Core 32MB L3 TSMC N7 ~83 mm2 Zen4 CCD : 8 Core 32MB L3 TSMC N5 ~72 mm2 Zen5 CCD : 8 Core 32MB L3 TSMC N4 ~71 mm2 Zen6 CCD : 12 Core 48MB L3 TSMC N2 ~76 mm2 — HXL (@9550pro) January 30, 2026 The information comes from HXL (@9550pro), who has shared the Zen CCD die sizes starting from the 2nd Gen Zen CCD up to the upcoming Zen 6 CCD. AMD had previously confirmed that its EPYC Venice CPUs featuring Zen 6 CCDs will be the first product to be manufactured on TSMC's N2 NanoSheet tech. Later reports suggest that AMD is going to use the TSMC N2P process node across its full Zen 6 lineup, with the IOD part being based on N3P. It was also suggested that certain entry-level products would still rely on the N3P process. Zen2 CCD: 2*4 Core 2*16 MB L3 TSMC N7 ~77 mm2 Zen3 CCD: 8 Core 32MB L3 TSMC N7 ~83 mm2 Zen4 CCD : 8 Core 32MB L3 TSMC N5 ~72 mm2 Zen5 CCD : 8 Core 32MB L3 TSMC N4 ~71 mm2 Zen6 CCD : 12 Core 48MB L3 TSMC N2 ~76 mm2 Now, it is reported that the die size for the Zen 6 CCD is going to be 76mm2 which is similar to the last-gen Zen offerings, such as Zen 5 and Zen 4, which measured 71mm2 and 72mm2, respectively. That's a very modest 5-7% increase in die size for a big upgrade in the number of cores and cache. Each Zen 6 CCD is going to feature 12 cores (versus 8 on last-gen), and the cores will be coupled with 48 MB of L3 cache (versus 32 MB on last-gen). That's a 50% uplift in core and cache count. What to expect from A...
Artificial intelligence is still a major market theme in 2026. With the first month of 2026 nearly over, there are some themes starting to take shape. First, investors are still skeptical that artificial intelligence (AI) spending is real. However, if you paid attention to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing's (TSM 1.26%) fourth-quarter results, then you know that it's real and only going to get bi...
Artificial intelligence is still a major market theme in 2026. With the first month of 2026 nearly over, there are some themes starting to take shape. First, investors are still skeptical that artificial intelligence (AI) spending is real. However, if you paid attention to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing's (TSM 1.26%) fourth-quarter results, then you know that it's real and only going to get bigger. However, the market hasn't caught on to that yet. That leads to a few stocks looking like incredible buys, but there are also some other non-AI stocks that look like strong buys for 2026 that are suffering a bit from a 2025 hangover. I think these are among the best stocks to buy now, and investors should consider doing so as soon as possible, before the market catches on. 1. Nvidia It should be no surprise that Nvidia (NVDA 0.09%) is included in this list. It's still the top AI computing provider, and its graphics processing units (GPUs) continue to push the limit of what's possible with traditional computing. Demand for its GPUs continues to grow, and will likely increase through 2030, when Nvidia believes there will be $3 trillion to $4 trillion in global annual data center spending. Expand NASDAQ : NVDA Nvidia Today's Change ( -0.09 %) $ -0.17 Current Price $ 192.34 Key Data Points Market Cap $4.7T Day's Range $ 190.92 - $ 194.49 52wk Range $ 86.62 - $ 212.19 Volume 2.2M Avg Vol 182M Gross Margin 70.05 % Dividend Yield 0.02 % That's a huge projection, and if it actually turns out to be correct, the stock will be a must-own. I think the tailwinds in the AI realm are still howling, making Nvidia a no-brainer to buy this year. 2. Taiwan Semiconductor As mentioned above, Taiwan Semiconductor already reported fourth-quarter results and crushed it. Revenue was up 26% year over year in U.S. dollars, and management gave guidance for nearly 30% revenue growth in 2026. Underscoring this announcement was its decision to spend $52 billion to $56 billion on production capabili...
No Death Penalty For Luigi Mangine, Biden Judge Rules A federal district judge in New York has ruled that Luigi Mangione, 27, will not face the death penalty for allegedly killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024. Luigi Mangione appears in Manhattan Criminal Court on December 18, 2025 (Curtis Means / Pool / Getty Images) The ruling by Judge Margaret Garnett (Biden) is a loss fo...
No Death Penalty For Luigi Mangine, Biden Judge Rules A federal district judge in New York has ruled that Luigi Mangione, 27, will not face the death penalty for allegedly killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024. Luigi Mangione appears in Manhattan Criminal Court on December 18, 2025 (Curtis Means / Pool / Getty Images) The ruling by Judge Margaret Garnett (Biden) is a loss for federal prosecutors, who were pursuing the death penalty in the case. Garnett also ruled that evidence recovered from Mangione's backpack is admissible as evidence. Law enforcement seized various items from the backpack - including a handgun, a loaded magazine, and a red notebook, which authorities say tie him to the killing. Mangione's attorneys had asked that the evidence be barred from trial, arguing that the search of his backpack was illegal because they had not obtained a warrant, and there was no immediate threat that justified a warrantless search. Surveillance cameras recorded the slaying, as video shows Thompson walking down the sidewalk outside a hotel when a man approaches from behind and opens fire. Thompson suffered multiple gunshot wounds and collapsed to the ground, after which the gunman fled and was later spotted on a bike making his way uptown. There was at least one eyewitness. UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson (AP Photo/ UNH) Mangione was arrested five days later at a McDonald's in Atloona, Pennsylvania, after customers and staff recognized him from a wanted poster. The defense has aggressively argued that prosecutors have failed to allege an underlying "crime of violence" necessary for the top charge of murder with a firearm. Prosecutors countered , arguing in an opposition filing that the defense is relying on an irrelevant precedent. "Here, by contrast, no court has interpreted the 'conduct that places [the victim] in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury' element ," federal prosecutors wrote. To charge Mangione with murder through th...
DNY59/E+ via Getty Images I previously covered UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE: UNH ) in November 2025, discussing how the management has embarked on an aggressive cost optimization path along with market exits/plan repricing to drive margin recovery from 2026 onwards, resulting in my downgraded rating from Strong Buy to Buy then. In this article, I shall discuss why I am upgrading the UNH s...
DNY59/E+ via Getty Images I previously covered UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE: UNH ) in November 2025, discussing how the management has embarked on an aggressive cost optimization path along with market exits/plan repricing to drive margin recovery from 2026 onwards, resulting in my downgraded rating from Strong Buy to Buy then. In this article, I shall discuss why I am upgrading the UNH stock as a Strong Buy once again, as the market's over-reaction to the softer FY2026 guidance triggers the discounted valuations and the oversold technical indicators, with it offering interested investors an excellent margin of safety. This is especially aided by the likely to be more sustainable membership base, after the temporary noise from the membership contraction in 2026, along with the much-needed margin/adj EPS recovery over the next few years. UNH's 2026 Approach Favors Margin Recovery UNH 1Y Stock Price (TradingView) Since my last Hold rating, UNH has enjoyed robust stock price recovery while retesting the $356s resistance levels, as similarly observed in its healthcare peers in varying degrees. Well, this is before the market over-reacts to numerous headwinds, with it triggering double digits stock price meltdown. I shall discuss further. 1. 2027 Reimbursement Headwinds For now, "the Trump administration proposed nearly flat reimbursement rates for Medicare Advantage payers in 2027," with it likely to trigger recovery headwinds arising from the notable divergence between the "MA risk scores to increase, on average, by 2.45% due to the underlying coding trend " against the net average payment increase by +0.09% YoY. As a result, there may be numerous outcomes that may occur, including: the potentially impacted profit margins, assuming that UNH absorbs the payment shortfall, or UNH may embark on a further benefit cuts/market exits for Medicare Advantage plans, or UNH may further raise premiums, with it potentially triggering further membership contraction, all of ...
Chainarong Prasertthai/iStock via Getty Images Quarterly commentary Most asset categories produced solid returns in the final three months of 2025, reflecting the favorable backdrop for the world financial markets. The fund posted a gain but slightly underperformed its benchmark. Asset allocation contributed to performance, while underlying manager results detracted. Market review and outlook Glob...
Chainarong Prasertthai/iStock via Getty Images Quarterly commentary Most asset categories produced solid returns in the final three months of 2025, reflecting the favorable backdrop for the world financial markets. The fund posted a gain but slightly underperformed its benchmark. Asset allocation contributed to performance, while underlying manager results detracted. Market review and outlook Global equities registered solid gains in the fourth quarter, helping the major, broad-based indexes record their third consecutive year of double-digit returns. Performance was uneven over the first half of the quarter due to concerns that AI-related stocks were in a bubble, but the market staged an impressive rebound and went on to achieve new all-time highs by year end. A continued decline in inflation enabled the U.S. Federal Reserve to enact two quarter-point interest rate cuts, boosting sentiment. In addition, corporate earnings were robust and world economic growth remained positive. Emerging- and developed-market international equities outperformed the United States, continuing a trend that was in place for the full year. Within the U.S. market, the value style outpaced growth as investors rotated toward opportunities outside of AI-related stocks. Global bonds logged only slightly positive total returns amid a growing consensus that most central banks were largely finished easing policy. Credit-oriented market segments continued to outperform, primarily as a result of their yield advantage. Contributors and detractors The fund's overweight in equities versus bonds contributed to relative performance. An overweight in emerging-market stocks, the best-performing segment of the global equity markets in the quarter, was a further plus. On the other hand, the allocation to defensive equities was a modest detractor at a time in which more speculative stocks were in favor. An overweight in U.S. mid caps also cost the fund some relative performance. Positioning in fixed income ...